Harvest time at mad monkeys ! Mark chetter had purchased a showa last spring on our visit to the All Japan Show , Maruhiro had recomended it as an Azukari koi , ie to be left in the mudponds .We also had half a dozen or so in the same pond , so it was decieded that we would watch it be harvested . As the net went round , the old gang ( staff ) worked hard in the pouring rain while we waited to see the first koi , as they started catching them up two jumped straight over the net , off they went again as we had a nice lunch of curried rice and drinks provided by Hnoris wife. As the koi came up in plastic bags it was obvious he was pleased with the results , and asked meto join him at the truck , his arms went in the tank and pulled up a showa , Gary San showa , i wish i replied , he laughed and sad it is, i felt it was a sales moment , and i was already a showa down , bad timing i tought ! We all got back in the cars and travelled back to the farm . One by one all the koi were brought in and videoed , masured and photgraphed , I got my pics out ready for a show down with the breeder , Mark Gardner laughed and said no way is that your showa , i know its not i replied biting my lip . The showa in quesion wet into the bowl , i shook my head and he nodded , i then took a long hard look , this was the showa ! She has changed dramtically , im not talking about sumi just coming through , im talking about a major transformation , you see the pics and judge for your self !! came Marks showa , he was over the moon , she had done unbelievably well , which was a major relief for me , last year i had concens about the body shape , it was huge, i neednt have worried , th body shape had come good and the showa looked great , round two to Maruhiro ! Two gin rin showas and a sanke , all looked great and grown . Then my kinda showa was bowled , i was shocked , never seen such a imporvement in a koi , th skin was way better than it was , the body gleamed , i was asked wha i wanted t do with it , i said i dont know what the hell to do , Hinori replied , take it home and chage your customers a miion yen!!! ! That good ?? He nooded and saidoh yes . If im honest th next hour on the farm was blur as i was so happy , but we hadt move on , now it as time to go to Koda . Small nisai of many varietys were selcted , incuding ochiba, showa , gin rin showa , kindai showa , gin rin kindai showa , doitsu shiro goromo and many others ! After doing all th pics it was back to the hotel with a smile th would take some wiping off my face! First 7 pics areMaruhiro koi frm th harves , nex one is Mark chettters tancho sanke , next four are just some of the nisai we purchased from Koda .